Kit Harington’s next role is one fans never saw coming

After years of being known as the brooding Jon Snow, Kit Harington is stepping into a wildly different kind of fantasy role.

The Game of Thrones star has officially joined HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series, where he will portray the famously vain and charismatic Gilderoy Lockhart in the show's second season.

The casting comes after Nicholas Hoult, who was initially attached to the role, reportedly left the project because of scheduling conflicts, according to Deadline. While the announcement surprised many fans, Harington is far from new to the wizarding world. Last year, he lent his voice to Lockhart in the full-cast audiobook adaptation of the Harry Potter novels, making this live-action casting a full-circle moment.

Harington has long spoken about his love for J.K. Rowling’s books, recalling that he became captivated by the series as a teenager. He also previously joked that “I think there's a little bit of Gilderoy Lockhart in all of us,” hinting at his affection for the overconfident wizard long before landing the role.

Lockhart was memorably played by Kenneth Branagh in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The character is known as the flashy Defense Against the Dark Arts professor whose reputation is built on exaggerated tales of bravery rather than genuine heroics, making him one of the franchise’s most entertaining personalities.

Production on the second season is expected to begin later this year, even as the series prepares for its first-season debut during the 2027 Christmas period. Harington joins a growing ensemble that includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Nick Frost as Hagrid, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall.